Adjustable-jaw tongs.



.l. F. wlLsoN. ADJUSTABLE JAW TONGS.

(Application led Apr. 9, 1900.)

(No Model.)

A TTOHNE YS UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

JOHN FRANK l/VILSON, OF MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

ADJ USTABLEHJAW TONGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 676,730, dated June 18, 1901.

Application led April 9, 1900. Serial No. 12,230. (No model.)

To all wwm t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN FRANK WILSON, residing at Milford, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and Improved Adjustable-.I aw Tongs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention is in the nature of improved tongs or pliers. more especially intended for blacksmiths uses; and it refers more particuio larly to that class of clamping-tongs hav-ing adjustable jaws capable of iirmly gripping different sizes and shapes of material.

My invention seeks to provide a simple and inexpensive appliance of the character described having in its general make-up a fixed clamping-jaw and a movable jaw adjustable in a vertical plane or atright angles with the iixedly-held jaw and having simple devices for holding it to the desired adjustments.

In its subordinate features my invention consists in certain details of construction and novel combination of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully explained, and specifically pointed out in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view of my improved tongs. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the jaw ends thereof, taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, with a slight modification of the jaw clamping-surfaces. Fig. 4 is a detail view 'of the end of the adjustable jaw j members, and Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4f.

In the practical construction my improved tongs comprise the two members ct b, having handle portions d b', as shown. The forward end of the tongs member a is widened to form a clamping-surface a2, which may be perfectly flat, as indicated in Figs. l and 2, or it may have a groove or recess a3, as shown in Fig. 3, for more iirmly gripping articles having sharp corners. The outer end of member b curves upward, as at bx, and then down- Ward and forward, as at b2, the part b2 ending at a point in advance of the center of the lower jaw a2. The member b2 has a central aperture '5b and an annular series of sockets Bb, surrounding the aperture 5b, as best shown in Fig. 4t. The upper jaw is adjustably se,- 'eured to th'e upper-jaw-holding member b2,

and the said jaw (indicated by d) is also supported in such manner that it will at all times rock in its longitudinal plane. For such purpose the jaw d has an upwardly-extending apertured ear d', adapted to iit between a pair of lugs c', that form a part of a headblock c. The block c has a central upwardlyprojecting threaded shank 0X, adapted to pass through the central aperture 5b to engage with a securing-nut c3, and the said headblock also has a series of dowels or lugs c4 to engage the sockets 61. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) The under or clamping face of the jaw d may be flat or provided with a V or other shaped groove, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing-'taken in connection Wit-h the accompanying drawings, it is thought the advantages and manner of operating my improvement Will be readily understood. By constructing the several parts asshown and described the upper jaw d can be set to extend in the same longitudinal plane with the lower jaw, and by reason of the jaw d being held to rock on a pivot-pin e, that passes through the ears of the head-block and the jaw d, said jaw will readily accommodate itself to the size or contour of the article to be clamped, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

It desired to set the upper or adjustable jaw at an angle to the lower or xedly-held jaw, it is only necessary to loosen the nut cB sufficiently to permit turning the head-block c, with jaw d, to the desired angle, after which the jaw can be held fast by reason of the head-block dowels engaging the sockets 6b and tightening-nut c3.

My improved form of tongs, While .adapted for clamping any ordinary class of articles such as are usually lifted by a device of this kind, is `more especially useful for clamping hoopliron rod-wire, spring metal, and the like.

The adjustment of the jaw d can be almost instantly effected, and when once set by reason of the manner of joining it with the member Y) it will remain firm to its desired clamping position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

In tongs as described, the combination with the fixed jaw member and the opposing tongshead, said head having a vertical aperture in IOO its'outer end, one or more indentations in its under face surrounding the said aperture, of a head-block comprising a. spindle proj ecbed head-block and the pivot-pin for joining lche Io said jew with the head-block, all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purthrough the apertured end of the upper head poses described.

5 of the tongs, said block having a pendent apertured' portion and lugs adapted to engage the indentations in the head portion, and a swinging jaw member having bifuroated ears adapted to straddle the pendent portion or JOHN FRANK WILSON.

vWitnesses:

CYRUS B. WILCOX, HARRY A. BAYLEY.` 

